44 percent of county households are struggling

United Way event addresses financial instability

ZANESVILLE - In Muskingum County, according to a recent study, 44 percent of households live below a basic-cost-of-living threshold.

In Perry County, 45 percent of households live below a basic-cost-of-living threshold. In Morgan County, it's 51 percent of households.

The study was released as the United Way ALICE Report for Ohio. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and it includes households that earn more than the federal poverty level but less than the county's basic cost of living.

The United Way of Muskingum, Perry and Morgan counties hosted a reception Tuesday night to discuss the study and open a dialogue about ways to address some of the financial needs in the area.

"(The study) really confirmed what we already know," said Meg Deedrick, executive director of United Way of MPM. "People are struggling."

And it's not that people aren't working, Deedrick said. People living in ALICE households are often working multiple jobs, but they don't make enough money to cover every basic need — such as health care, transportation or childcare — and if an unexpected expense comes up, it throws their entire budget off.

United Way assists area residents with food and living expenses, but Deedrick said there are gaps in services that need to be addressed.

Often, for example, people without children or who live in a household without children sometimes have a more difficult time getting assistance because they can't always go through organizations like Job and Family services, Deedrick said.

Another gap in service is utility assistance, Deedrick said.

"As much money as we're donating to it, it's still not enough," she said.

Deedrick said the event Tuesday was the first of three designed to highlight different issues within the community. In February, a second event is scheduled to be about education, and in May, a third will be about health.

"We really want to see this as opening a dialogue with the community," she said.